Benjamin Saenz is considered to be the author of the prominent work called ‘Exile: El Paso, Texas’ dedicated to the disclosure of racism and ethnicity problems promoted in society. It is necessary to underline the fact that in the modern world the concept of racial profiling is considered to be common rather than unheard or unknown; the essay under analysis allows evaluating the author’s personal experience based on ethnic background discrimination, and understand his establishment of racial identities characterizing the period he strived to reflect.
Saenz is considered to be of Mexican American origin and his identification of racial and ethnic identities was based on personal attitude experience; living in the border town, El Paso, the person appeared to be mistakenly perceived as an illegal immigrant. It is necessary to stress that the essay demonstrates the elements of the prejudiced treatment of different ethnical representatives; his attitude to racial discrimination environment is presented through annoyance and irritation:
‘Are you a citizen of the United states?’
‘Can you prove it?’
‘…pretty soon I’ll have to carry passport in my own neighborhood’
(Saenz, 24)
The problem of racial and ethnic discrimination is disclosed through the author’s perception; he underlines his despair and anger towards social prejudices promoted in El Paso. It is necessary to stress the idea that the principle goal Saenz managed to demonstrate is concentrated on the feelings of being subjected to racial profiling; his description of ethnic prejudices is reflected through interpersonal relationships disclosure. One can observe the following phrases throughout the essay: ‘Terrorists’, ‘Nazis’, ‘…Guatemala did their jobs too’; these statements are considered to be a symbolic expression of his environmental perception. The author is presented as the central judger of racial profiling promotion; his disclosed gradual change in the perception of constant border controls, from friendliness to irritation and anger. The metaphorical approach is expressed through tonal characteristics of the phrases and replies given to the representatives of border control.
The concept of ‘belonging’ is especially stressed by the author through the indirect expression of national dissatisfaction with civil rights limitations; it should be stressed that national security policies were constantly coming into conflict with social democratic principles. The author managed to highlight the tense national and civil atmosphere suffered by the representatives of different nationalities…
‘I was embarrassed, ashamed, because I’d been so damned compliant
like a piece of tin foil in the uniformed woman’s hand’ (Saenz, 25)
The change of the author’s attitude to the border control policies is considered to be demonstrated through complete frustration and inner depression.
‘Read my rights, throw me in the can,
or leave me alone’ (Saenz, 26)
The analysis of the essay allows identifying the role of national security and its place in society; it should be stressed that social protection cannot be contradicted by the limitations of civil rights and freedoms.
The rights introduced within the society cannot be sacrificed for national security support, as this can lead to the destruction of democratic balance in the state. The author managed to demonstrate the attitude of the El Paso population to the national environment through personal experience description; racial profiling and ethnical discrimination have always been considered centralized within multinational states, causing debates among modern investigators and researchers striving to identify the true reasons for this.
References
Saenz, B. Exile: El Paso, Texas.